12 Effective Kitchen Hacks

Here is a wonderfully creative collection of tips that spotlight resourcefulness and intelligence in the kitchen and pantry. You’re about to learn how to make the most of your time in the kitchen. From tricks involving used coffee beans, foil, and shower caps (yes, shower caps!) to simple storage solutions—get ready to take conventional wisdom to an unconventional level.

1. To store celery for over a month

Keep your celery fresh and crisp by storing in foil. Neither its taste nor its color will change.

2. For fresher and crispier lettuce

One thing that tends to make lettuce turn brown soon is moisture. To counter this, keep lettuce leaves in clean and fresh paper bags. This will keep them crispier for longer.

3. Pant-hanger for cook book

Use a pant hanger (having clasps to hold) as your cook book holder; no need to flip through its pages with messy hands.

4. Coffee for your plants

After brewing your coffee, add the used coffee beans (in powdered or grounded form) to your potted plants. The nutrients released by the used coffee powder will be of great use to most of the plants you have in your garden, especially roses, blueberries, tomatoes or strawberries.

5. Revive chips and crackers

One best way to revive your stale chips and crackers is to microwave them for a few seconds. They will become instantaneously crispier.

6. The Inner side of cabinet doors

Don’t waste the space that is available in the inner side of the kitchen cabinet doors. Fix some screws or clips and hang smaller things.

7. Using over the sink board

Make optimal use of space available in the kitchen by placing your chopping boards over the sink.

8. Know the utility of pegboard

Use the wall space behind your oven. Hang a pegboard over there that can be used for hanging pans and pots.

9. Bottled whipped cream

There is no point wasting your energy in making whipped cream in a bowl. Rather, pour the cream in a bottle and shake it vigorously easily. You have an excellently whipped cream with minimal effort.

10. Crispier and curlier bacon

Before placing bacon in a cooking pan, dip it in cold water. This way, its edges will remain curly and crisp.

11. Fridge caps

The lightweight shower caps that hotels often leave for guests make perfect bowl covers for the refrigerator. They’re large enough to fit most large bowls but also adjust to the smaller ones. They’re easier to use than plastic wrap and reusable, too.

12. Frugal luxury

Real vanilla sugar (for coffee drinks or to sprinkle on cookies and other sweets) can be costly. Here’s a way to make a whole pound of vanilla sugar inexpensively: Place one whole vanilla bean and a pound of granulated sugar in a blender or food processor. Pulse until the bean is invisible and the sugar is a cream color. This keeps very well in a covered canister.